How to reduce stress

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This article was published 29/11/2021 (1444 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

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All year long, we live life at warp speed.

“For some, the holidays are a joyful time. For others, the season is challenging.”
– Bryanna Barker, health and wellness
educator at the University of Manitoba

Then, the holiday season starts ramping up in November.

On cue, the pace of life increases to a higher warp factor as we shop for gifts, attend parties and family functions, and get together with friends.

And with COVID-19 having scuttled the holiday season last year, there’s the temptation to either go all out or play it safe, adding yet more decisions to an already challenging time of year.

Bryanna Barker, health and wellness educator at the University of Manitoba, says she has five (OK, six) tips to help reduce stress during the hectic holiday season:

1. Give yourself permission to set boundaries.

“Doing this is a necessary component for self-care,” she says. “Setting boundaries helps avoid depletion and being taken advantage of. Practise saying no or other difficult responses ahead of time. By communicating with others in a clear, concise fashion, you’re giving yourself permission to take care of you.”

2. Honour your feelings.

“Acknowledge that the holidays are stressful and that those feelings are valid. Doing that helps better manage stress,” notes Barker. “For example, take 10-minute breaks to rest or reset to combat overstimulation that can come from spending too much time on your cell phone.”

3. Plan ahead.

“As we all know, the holidays tend to go by so fast,” she says. “So, make a point of budgeting your time — for shopping, who to see, baking or making donations. Prepare for emotions such as stress, loneliness and guilt. To avoid getting overwhelmed, leave a busy room for five minutes and avoid scrambling. Doing those types of things reduces stress.”

4. Don’t abandon normal routines and healthy habits.

“The holidays are an exciting time, which makes it easy to indulge, so stick to your normal routine as much as you can,” Barker says. “Keep your routine — eating, exercise, sleeping, connecting with loved ones — as normal as possible during an abnormal time. A few things are bound to give but do your best to do what you’d normally do.”

5. Use coping resources.

“For some, the holidays are a joyful time. For others, the season is challenging. With that in mind, have a list of resources like stress management apps on your cell phone so you can find it and prevent mental fatigue,” she adds. “Also consider putting aids like a crisis centre number on your desk so it’s close at hand to access quickly for you or others.”

6. COVID-19 Bonus Tip:

“COVID is still hovering, so safety is still important,” she says. “At gatherings, write names on cups, distance tables, have single-serving meal portions, use disposable cutlery and have lots of holiday-themed sanitation stations. Have fun with it and put a creative spin on implementing health safeguards.”

“Keep your routine– eating, exercise, sleeping, connecting with loved ones — as normal as possible during an abnormal time. A few things are bound to give but do your best to do what you’d normally do.”
– Bryanna Barker, health and wellness educator at the University of Manitoba